Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes contamination in ready-to-eat sandwiches collected from vending machines


Submitted: 25 August 2015
Accepted: 26 October 2015
Published: 11 May 2016
Abstract Views: 1719
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Authors

  • Francesca Cossu Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Carlo Spanu Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Silvia Deidda Department of Biomedical Sciences, Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Erica Mura Department of Biomedical Sciences, Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Daniele Casti Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Carlo Pala Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Sonia Lamon Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Vincenzo Spanu Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Michela Ibba Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Elena Marrocu Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Christian Scarano Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Andrea Piana Department of Biomedical Sciences, Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Enrico Pietro Luigi De Santis Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Ready-to-eat (RTE) food is characterised by a long shelf-life at refrigerated temperature and can be consumed as such, without any treatment. The aim of the work was to evaluate the presence of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in RTEs collected from refrigerated vending machines placed in hospital environment and accessible to the hospitalised patients. In 4 different sampling, 55 RTEs were collected from vending machines of six hospitals located in different areas of Sardinia region. All the samples were characterised by similar manufacturing process, such as the use of modified atmosphere packaging and belonged to 5 different producers. Listeria spp. was not countable using the enumeration method in all of the analysed samples. Using the detection method, Listeria spp. was recovered from 9 sandwich samples. Interestingly, 3 of these samples (5.5%) made by the manufacturer, were positive for L. monocytogenes contamination. The risk related to the L. monocytogenes presence in RTEs proportionally increases when food is introduced in susceptible environments, such as hospitals and consumed by susceptible people. Although the RTEs analysed showed values that complied with the European microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, the availability of these products in a susceptible environment should be carefully checked. Therefore, in order to limit the possible exposition to L. monocytogenes, more information on the risk related to RTE consumption should be provided to the hospitalised patients.

1.
Cossu F, Spanu C, Deidda S, Mura E, Casti D, Pala C, Lamon S, Spanu V, Ibba M, Marrocu E, Scarano C, Piana A, De Santis EPL. Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes contamination in ready-to-eat sandwiches collected from vending machines. Ital J Food Safety [Internet]. 2016 May 11 [cited 2024 Mar. 28];5(2). Available from: https://www.pagepressjournals.org/ijfs/article/view/5500

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